By Lloyd Takawira
The information age era has proven more effective in information dissemination, because of technology which has allowed wide reach in a short period of time. However more compelling to this era has been its negative ripple effects it may posture . One of the areas which has suffered from this era has been efforts to fight against the coronavirus pandemic and the vaccines conspiracy theories.
Compounded to this anxiety and resentment from the people has been threats from President Mnangagwa that those who don’t take the coronavirus vaccine risk deprivation from critical essential services such as boarding subsidized Zupco buses, jobs much to the chagrin of the already charged public.
While addressing thousands of his Zanu PF party supporters (despite lockdown measures), President Mnangagwa said that “Haumanikidzwi kubaiwa. Ichasvinga nguva yekuti kana usina kubaiwa hauwani basa, kana usina kubaiwa haukwiri Zupco. Saka wotowona kuti woita sei.” (Vaccination is not mandatory. But it will come a time were you will not get a job, or board a Zupco bus if you have not been vaccinated. So you will have to see what you can do.)
The threat send shockwaves around the country and has became talk of the town. Most people registered their disapproval in many forums.
It must be noted that despite the thinly veiled threats, COVID-19 vaccination program continues to record low numbers with critical line workers such as nurses who are supposed to be administering the vaccines continuing to shun COVID-19 vaccination if the numbers being provided by government are anything to go by.
Since the government rolled out the vaccine program, it has reported that only 15705 frontline workers have taken the jab averaging about 2000 per day.
Zimbabwe Nurses Association president Mr Enock Dongo, said that their 12,000-member Zimbabwe Nurses Association, is reluctant to “ uptake of the vaccine…”.
He told AFP that , “As things stand, people are reluctant. We agreed to let our members decide whether to be vaccinated or not,” he added.
“We need information on the safety of the vaccine, its possible side effects if any and the percentage of protection against the South African variant which is prevalent in the country.”
Bustop TV News took the hotly contested vaccination issue to the streets to hear what the ordinary men and women in the street has to say.
Chitungwiza Residents Trust director Alice Kuvheya had this to say ” We know nothing about the drug besides different explanations we are seeing on social media. We need more information before we are injected. The gvt must give us more information, it’s advantages/disadvantages before forcing us to take what we dont know exactly”.
Kadoma Progressive Residents Association director Mr Tafadzwa Goliati had this to say , “Isu sevagari tinodawo information yakakwana nezve Sinopharm vaccine kuti yakanakirei uye yakaongororwa here neWHO hatidi kuita mazombies nehutano wedu.Hondo nemakundano dzenyika dzine mari dzoparadza varombo chokwadi ndechipi apa“.
Zimbabwe Youth Decide director Learnmore Munangu said that as young people they are fearful of the vaccine . He said that the problem might be because there is an information gap.
“As young people we believe that nothing for us without us is against us . The vaccination program has been met with stiff resistance and suspicion from Zimbabweans due to a lot of misinformation circulating on social media. Government should avail information such that we fully understand how these vaccines work”.
Many people are consumed by the theories that are being propagated on social media especially “WhatsApp messenger “.
Last week , a fake news site that tried to replicate “Bloomberg” with a fake and non existent name Blurmburg.com ran a poorly written article that was discrediting vaccines and incriminating the World Health organization.
Such are the dangers of the information age compounded by a government that knows nothing other than issuing baseless threats which not only help but exacerbate and stork the burning fire and rift that exists between the government and its frustrated , angry and restless Zimbabweans.
